As anti-Secondus forces maintained their stiff opposition to his continued stay in office, the leadership crisis intensified.

To douse the tension, a 28-member ad hoc committee of party elders was set up to critically look at the issues, particularly the allegations against the embattled chairman, who is at the centre of the imbroglio.

The elders include former Senate Presidents, former ministers, governors, National Assembly members and former members of the National Working Committee (NWC).

Although the anti-Secondus camp insisted that Secondus should vacate office immediately, a middle of the road solution was canvassed by the committee.

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The panel said the chairman should remain in office till October. The convention was also brought forward to October.

Although Secondus kicked against the recommendation, reminding the committee that his tenure would end in December, he was overuled.

However, the chairman smiled away with a major concession. His power to set up the convention planning committee was not tampered with.

That gave him an elixir of hope. Indeed, Secondus returned to the drawing board to strategise. He emerged with an argument that the October date for the convention is not feasible. His reason is that the party needed more time to plan for the series of events that will culminate into the convention.

Secondus drew attention to the unfinished business of reconciliation in some crisis-ridden chapters and inconclusive ward, council and state congresses in some states. To him, these outstanding issues may impact negatively on the collective preparations for the convention, unless they are resolved.